New Delhi:- Altogether 29 Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZ) spread across 10 states in the country have been notified till now for having environmental resources of incomparable values which require special attention for their conservation, Lok Sabha was told today.
Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also said the Jammu and Kashmir government has identified 12 ESZ around National Parks and Sanctuaries in the state, including those around the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, Dachigam National Park, Hemis High Altitude National Park and Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary.
“The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notifies ESZ under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, wherein, inter alia identified projects or activities are regulated or prohibited as the case may be, in a site-specific manner,” Javadekar said.
Javadekar said his ministry has declared ESZ around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, as well as, certain identified areas which require special attention and protection.
At present the 29 ESZ notified by the Central government are spread across Haryana, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Sikkim, Goa, Maharasthra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttarakhand.
“The conservation and sustainable development of ESZ is achieved through preparation of zonal master plans for them on a scientific basis with adequate participation of the local communities and line departments of the state government,” Javadekar said.
The minister added that regulation of activities in the ESZ maintains the “carrying capacity of the area while ensuring sustainable development of the region”, taking into consideration “the needs and aspirations of the local people”
